Diagnostic amyloid light chain amyloidosis hospitalizations associated with high acuity and cost: analysis of the Premier Healthcare Database.

Estimate the frequency and costs of diagnostic admissions among hospitalized patients with amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis. This retrospective analysis used nationally representative hospital discharge data from 2017 to 2020 to report resource use and cost for hospitalizations during which AL amyloidosis was diagnosed. Of 1341 admissions, 17.6% were diagnostic. Bone marrow (79.5%) and kidney (44.9%) biopsies were the most common qualifying biopsies. Diagnostic hospitalizations had longer length of stay (14.5 vs 8.4 days; p < 0.001) and higher cost ($40,052 [USD] vs $24,360; p < 0.001) than nondiagnostic ones. Diagnostic admissions are more likely to be urgent/emergent, require longer stays and have higher costs compared with hospitalizations in known AL amyloidosis patients. Improved diagnostic pathways toward early diagnosis are needed.